Ancient Greek Shields

We have an alternative greek hoplite shield possibly for younger children which uses a paper plate.

Ancient greek shields. Towards the end of the eighth century bc the ancient greeks invented a large round shield aspis that was to dominate greek warfare from that point onwards down the hellenistic era. The warrior would carry the greek shield in his left hand with the help of central band and grip via a strap on the shield. The shield can be decorated with either an individual or tribal crest. The greek shield of ancient greece was called a hoplon or aspis.

It was from this word that hoplite a greek soldier is derived. Ancient greek shields were made out of either willow or limewood and covered with a very fine layer of bronze. Perhaps the most iconic greek shield is the lambda shield which features the greek letter lambda on its surface. The hoplite was a heavy infantryman.

It s often referred to as an argive shield. Some shields had a thin sheet of bronze on the outer face. City states often had their own shield pattern. This was placed just around the rim.

The greek soldier or hoplite usually carried a large wooden shield into battle. Ancient greek weapons and armor were primarily geared towards combat between individuals. An aspis ancient greek. Shields would weigh as much as 8 kg sometimes and the fighter would require great strength and skill to use it as a protection.

ἀσπίς plural aspides ἀσπίδες sometimes also referred to as an hoplon greek. It would be an. Their primary technique was called the phalanx a formation consisting of massed shield wall which required heavy frontal armor and medium ranged weapons such as spears. This is a very simple craft.

Soldiers were required to provide their own panoply which could prove expensive however the lack of any official peace keeping force meant that most greek citizens carried weapons as a matter of course for self defence. Ancient greek shields ancient greek shields. ὅπλον was the heavy wooden shield used by the infantry in various periods of ancient greece. This was called as apsis.

We made this simple but very impressive shield using two large circles of cardboard. Greek shields the basic elements of the ancient greek spartan body armor consisted of a shield hoplon from which comes the name hoplite for the greek infantryman helmet and a cuirass or breastplate. The arm grip at the back of the shield enabled phalanx standing in close formation fighting. The word for an individual soldier s equipment of weapons and armor is panoply.

Traditionally greek shields were wooden shields although at medieval armour we also offer a number of greek steel shields which allows any ancient warrior enthusiast to choose between a variety of materials and designs. A hoplon was a deeply dished shield made of wood. The earliest form of weaponry was called as hoplite phalanx. Shields in ancient greece were made mostly of wood and leather and were then faced with bronze.